Posted on 11/15/2008 5:32:16 PM PST by Penn4God
In view of the 2008 election, the Christian churches have been noticeably silent. Is this reluctance due to their fear of losing the tax exempt status?
The recent election highlights this issue quite well. Candidates held moral positions that were in direct opposition to known biblical teachings. Despite the candidates support for issues like abortion, religious leaders allowed these candidates to go unchallenged from their pulpits.
Religious leaders are fearful of losing the tax-exempt status if they speak out strongly regarding moral positions that candidates hold. Religious leaders are not directing their comments from their pulpits to influence decisions about candidates based on biblical truths. The result is the election of a pro-abortion, radical candidate for president that many christians supported.
Is it time to amend the IRS code to allow religious leaders the freedom to speak on current issues that have become politicized? The original intent of this IRS code was to silence churches in Texas who spoke out against Lyndon Johnson. The result has been the muzzling of the church by the goverment. Do we call this a free republic?
Thanks for the history lesson, you are so right or should I say, “wright”?
One of the original intents of the 1st amendment was to allow churches to speak freely against the gov't. Many of the original pilgrims came to this land to escape religious persecution by the king, and the founding fathers did not want that to be repeated.
So to answer your question, "NO!"
I have found it interesting, though, that Chuck Swindoll and David Jeremiah both decided to air programming on end times events. Jeremiah did an overview of sorts and Swindoll has been speaking on Daniel. Two of the biggest names in the business and they both spoke on end-times prophesy items.
There was a time when church leaders were not afraid to speak out. It was the church leaders who led the successful fight against slavery.
Today, we have a greater evil than slavery - the gruesome murder of unborn children. The majority of voters just approved of these murders.
And all the present day church leaders can do is worry about their tax-exempt status? I would challenge them to take a stand, no matter what the cost, against this continued barbarism.
And I would challenge all here to think, if this Union exists to allow the murder of millions of unborn children, is it not time to dissolve the Union?
...United Church of Christ, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterian USA...
I'm an LCMS Lutheran and I HIGHLY RESENT that remark! Before you go making accusations about protestant Churches get your facts straight!
EXactly, I was thinking the same thing.. black churches were exempt, for democrats, remember Hillary and her black accent.. I cannot remember if that was a church or not..
NO. It is time for us to fight for the Union that preserves life.
I disagree. Opening up the churches to inspection by the state for purposes of collecting tax allows the state to harass by audit.
Church and state are to be separate and the reason was for the state to stay out of the activities of the church, NOT for the purpose of the church to stay out of the activities of the state.
Libs have upended this basic tenet of our constitutional rights, we need to reestablish that true separation.
If that's the case maybe somebody should remind them of something Jesus said regarding the paying of taxes. After asking who's face is on the coin, He said, "Give unto Caesar that which is Ceasar's and give unto God that which is God's".
She was “present” in a black church when she attempted to speak in her relating tone.
I disagree. Opening up the churches to inspection by the state for purposes of collecting tax allows the state to harass by audit.
Church and state are to be separate and the reason was for the state to stay out of the activities of the church, NOT for the purpose of the church to stay out of the activities of the state.
Libs have upended this basic tenet of our constitutional rights, we need to reestablish that true separation.
I disagree. Opening up the churches to inspection by the state for purposes of collecting tax allows the state to harass by audit.
Church and state are to be separate and the reason was for the state to stay out of the activities of the church, NOT for the purpose of the church to stay out of the activities of the state.
Libs have upended this basic tenet of our constitutional rights, we need to reestablish that true separation.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the Mainline church I was referring to. Sorry if I upset you.
Tell the truth often enough and it shall be the truth!
Thought it was worth repeatin’!
You're close as to "why?" Most pastors in the mainline churches are in their positions at the pleasure of the people in the pulpit. As a pastor, you have to be pastor to all the people, not just those who agree with you. In every congregation there are one or two liberals (Don't ask me how they can be both liberal and Christian). They don't see the contradiction. Mainliners do not "encourage" conservative preaching these days. Sad, but true. Pastors have to stick to Scripture, but one can do pretty well using Scripture alone to make a moral point.
I understand that the so called church and state separation was to keep the state out of churches but what we have now is intimidation of churches by the government because of the tax exemption.
Kinda reminds you of; “You have relatives in the old country,yes?”
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